


Straight From the Source

by Catchclaw



Series: Mental Mimosa [17]
Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Acts of Kindness, M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), coming home
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-10
Updated: 2018-05-10
Packaged: 2019-05-04 19:54:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14600511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catchclaw/pseuds/Catchclaw
Summary: Tony Stark's a lot of things but it surprises Bucky that one of them is unfailing kind.





	Straight From the Source

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: I'm holding on tight like the hair tie on your wrist. From this [generator](http://colormayfade.tumblr.com/generator).

Tony Stark's a lot of things but it surprises Bucky that one of them is unfailing kind.

Take the space he sets up for Buck at the compound. It’s not a tricked-out candyland like Stark’s own floor, or a tasteful dungeon like Nat’s. It’s not warm and homey like Steve’s, either; no blond wood or picture windows or stone mantelpiece. It’s smaller, for one thing, not much bigger than the two-bedroom he and Stevie used to share when the world was young, when they were. It’s not a cave, but the only windows are high up on the bathroom wall and one normal narrow in the living room, looking out over the great green fields beyond. And that one’s covered by a shade when he wants it to be, a big blackout thing that wraps the room in comforting shadow.

“I figured you’d want some privacy,” Stark tells him during the impromptu little tour he insists on giving rather simply handing Bucky the keys, “or at least a modicum of control over the rest of the world’s access to you. Even if the rest of said world is like a gaggle of deer and some pissed off geese.”

It’s only later that Bucky figures out that the tour was the first time they were alone, he and Stark, with no Steve buffer between. He wonders if that was on purpose, if Stark walked away from some meeting or other to show him around because he knew Steve was in the city gladhanding.

They’ve never discussed it, the past, not in any detail. Not since Siberia. Some part of him figures it’s better that way; the rest of him isn’t so sure. But then, what is there left to say? _I’m sorry? None of it was my idea? I couldn’t stop myself?_ Those are excuses Steve would make for him. He isn’t sure what he wants to say for himself, so what he goes with is:

“Thank you.”

Stark turns around, eyebrows at the ready. “For what?”

Bucky swings his arms around, takes the place in. “For this. You didn’t have to.”

Something splashes over Stark’s face, like a cheap beer tipped over a bar. “I mean, no lie, I could’ve put you in a pup tent on the lawn. Thought about it. But then you’d have been eaten by those goddamn geese or gotten chiggers--can super soldiers get chiggers? I’m gonna guess yes--and how the hell would I explain any of that to the powers that be? Meaning Cap. If something happened to you because I assigned you to a bad bunk, he’d break me in half.”

“In thirds,” Bucky says, dry as toast. “Half won’t hurt enough.”

There’s a beat, a good solid pause, and Stark bursts out laughing, a genuine sparkler of a smile. “That was a joke!” he says. “You made a joke, Sergeant Pravda. I didn't know that was allowed.”

Bucky’s mouth catches. “Hey, I was a funny guy back in the day, Stark.”

“I bet you were a lot of things back in the day. I might’ve heard about some.”

“Don’t believe everything you see in newsreels.”

Tony grins, a little sneakier now, a little smart. “Oh, no. I get my shit straight from the source.”


End file.
